The Reform movement’s Rabbi Jonathan Romain spoke against lowering the abortion limit from 24 weeks at a breakfast briefing for MPs ahead of this week’s vote.

Attempts to reduce the limit to 20 or 22 weeks were decisively defeated in the House of Commons on Tuesday night.

Rabbi Romain said at the briefing, organised by the British Pregnancy Advisory Service: “Being religious means valuing not only the foetus but also the mother, an existing life whose needs must take precedence over a life in potential; lowering the abortion limit would not be loving, but be a draconian imposition on women and prevent those most vulnerable from getting the help they need.”